The Best Laptops

We tested 18 laptops with the same workload: browser with 30 tabs, Slack, Zoom, a spreadsheet, and Spotify. Most $1,000 laptops handle that. The difference is battery life under that real-world load — and fan noise during Zoom calls.

#1 Pick

Apple MacBook Air M4

Apple

The MacBook Air M4 lasted 14.2 hours under our real-world workload — 4 hours longer than the best Windows competitor. Zero fan noise because there is no fan. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is rea

How we tested

We ran our standardized workload continuously and measured battery drain per hour, surface temperature, fan noise during video calls, and display readability outdoors. We also benchmarked export times in Lightroom and Premiere.

Why it won

The MacBook Air M4 lasted 14.2 hours under our real-world workload — 4 hours longer than the best Windows competitor. Zero fan noise because there is no fan. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is readable in direct sunlight.

Specifications

The bottom line

The Apple MacBook Air M4 earns our recommendation because it outperformed the competition in the metrics that matter most. When you consider the testing data alongside real-world usability, it delivers the best overall experience in this category.